Improved water-indicator for steam-boilers



UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

GEORGE LUTZ, OF LANCASTER, OHIO.

IMPROVED WATER-INDICATOR POR. STEAMBOILER&

T0 all whom it may concern Beit knownthat I, GEORGE LUTZ, of Lancaster, in the county of Fairfield and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and usefnl l mprovement in Water-Indieators for Steam-Boilers, of whieh the following is afull, olear, and exact desoription, referenee being had to the aeeompanying drawings, wbieh make part of this speeilioation, and in wbich Figure 1 represents a "iew in elevation of awater-indioator embraeing myimprovement; Fig. 2, a vertienl centra] seotion tlirongb the same, and Fig. 3, 'a vertic-al seotion tbrongh the same at the line 90 a; of Fig. 1.

In water gages or indieators for steamboilers as beretofore nsed mach ineonvenienoe and error is experienced, owing to their complex eonstrnetion.

It is the object of my invention to render the indicator more uniform and eertan in its operation by simplifying its construetion and reducing tl1e number.of its men1bers; and to this end my invention eonsists in eombining with a pinion on the index-shaft a ratohet on a rod or bar, (that is conneeted to aorankarm,)

and the float attaohed to a rod, the opposite end of whieh is fastened to the projecting end of the roek-shaft whieh earries the crank-arm. An index, I, is seonred upon a snitable journal carrying a toothed pinion, 0. One end of this jonrnal rests in the rear plate of the i11- dieator, while the other end of the jonrnal is seenred in a plate, K, having flanges by wheh it is fastened with sorews to the back plate of the indioator. The index 1 and gradnated plate G are eontained within a close box, having aglass front in tbe nsual manner, and the index vibrates o"er the nnn1bers on the graduated plate to mark the depth of water in the boiler. This box is conneeted to the boiler or to the box Y within the boiler by a tube or pipe, B, having snitable serews at each end, the one to oonneet with the box containing the index and the other to make a steamtight joint above and below the boiler-plate at the point of attaehment. The plate K has one of its fla-nges plaeed 'ar enough from the pinion to receive the ratchet end of the rod or bar S, and holds the toothed portion of the bar always in gear wth the pinion. This ratehet-bar passes down throngh the connecting-pipe B, and is attaohed atits lower end to the crank-arm t, seoured on a roek-shaft in the box Y. This box is cast in one peoe, with one of ts sides open, and with a flange at the top to make a steam-tigbt joint on the nnder side of the boiler, being held in plane by a nut, X, on the eonneeting-pipe. The open side of the box Y is olosed with ascrew-cap, y, havin g a central depression to IGGGVG the inner end of the roekshaft A, tlie whole box being of a eapaoity to admit the easy vibration of the crank-arm on the roek-shaft. A eolllar on the solid side of the box is drilled eentrally to re oeive and support the roek-sl1aft in a horizontal position. The rook-sb aft is pivoted at one end in the eentral hearing of the serew-eap, and rests in the collar 3 tl1rough wl1ich it passes at the other end, havng a flange on it that fits neatly on the inside of the eollar to keep it in plane, and a snitable stnffingbox on the inside of the collar to make the box steam-tight.

Instead of a stuffing-box I employ a serewnut, with a spiral spring on the rook-shaft. One end of this spring bears against the inside eollar on the shaft, nd tl1e opposite endbears against the nut, so as to pack the joint with the least possible friotion, and yet keep it always perfectly steam-tight.

From the projecting end of the rook-shaft a bar, 0, extends longitndinally into the boiler, having a float npon it that rests on the water in the boiler. '1his float may be adjnstable on the bar that oarries it, or it may be fastened on one part of the bar permanently.

It is obvions that movingthe crank wrist or pin nearer to or fartl1er from tbe roek-shaft will change the movement of the index, and other modes of varying its movernents are of almost obvious snggestion.

The operation of my improvement is extremely simple and direct. As a change of the qnantity of water in the boiler oceurs, a ehange instantly takes plaee in the vertieal position ofthe floa-t. This moves the roek-shaft, whiel1 rises or depresses the ratohet whieh tnrns the pinion, and thns vibrates the index to the proper nnmber to indioate tl1e qnantity of water in the boiler.

I am aware that a float has been used at the end of a rod working in a paoked or close joint, and conneeted by a slotted lever with an index, as in the patentto F. A. Hoyt, dated Jnly 25, 1859, No. 24,874; bnt this I do not claim.

The mode of packing the cmnk-shaft and connectingthe crank-arm therewith, tooperate the index, presents a clear and well-defined improvement, b0th in the construction and operation of my water-indicator, over and above what is shown in the said patent.

What I claim as my nventon, and desire t0 secure by Letters Patent of t-he Unted States, 1s

The combnaton and arrangement of the pnion, ratehet, roek-shaft, and fi0at, substantinlly as set: forth, for the purpose specfied.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

GEORGE LUTZ. VVifnesses HENRY L. GRIDER, G. S'lIENMAN. 

